Valdosta - Lowndes County Economic Study

On Thursday, April 18, 2013, the Langdale College of Business and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2013 Economic Summit. With a theme of "moving forward," the purpose of the summit was for the leaders of the community to take a critical look at where Valdosta-Lowndes County stands relative to its peer and aspirant communities.

Unfortunately, our region suffers from a substantial wage gap, as Lowndes County’s average weekly wage persistently trails the state, southeast, and national averages. Despite our diverse – and generally robust – economy, we continue to struggle. The “great recession” took a substantial toll on our region, and our unemployment rate now exceeds both the state and national averages. Further, our poverty rate in Lowndes County now stands at a very troubling 27.1%.

This is the 3rd year that the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with VSU’s Center for Business & Economic Research and the Langdale College of Business to host the summit. The Chamber’s goal is to proactively address these ongoing problems and to build community and business consensus, hopefully providing a clearer path for the economic prosperity we would all like to enjoy.